I have some nights where i can't make the transition from consciousness to pure sleep way too often. What happens is i know i'm tired, i want to close my eyes and sleep, but when i close them my brain is still functioning and its like i can open my eyes and not really feel like i slept at all. I have gone full nights where i'll be trying to sleep and have my eyes closed then its time to go to work and i open my eyes like i was conscious the whole night feeling like i barely slept. When this happens i feel slightly like i slept, and better than if i had stayed up all night with my eyes open, but nothing like getting a true sleep.
To me a full sleep is when i feel groggy in the morning and its hard to get up because i slept so well but i feel very refreshed.

I feel like i've tried everything but don't want to take sleeping pills or anything like that. Maybe exercises or things you think about to help you transition into a deep sleep? Maybe even positional sleeping positions that may help? I need to figure out a way to be able to get to sleep when i want to. Its real bad if i have something important to do the next day and lack of sleep really hurts my functioning.

Seriously, smoke up a little. I don't smoke weed during the day any more, but a few hits from a pipe is a great way to relax before bed.